Ibiza bans alcohol sales after 9:30 PM in San Antonio to curb “excessive tourism”

Spain’s Balearic Islands are set to introduce stricter drinking laws in a bid to crack down on “excessive tourism”.

Under the expanded law, which comes into force on Saturday (11th May), popular areas including San Antonio in Ibiza, Playa de Palma and Magaluf in Majorca will be subject to new sanctions on alcohol purchase and consumption.

People caught drinking outside of authorised areas could be fined between €500-1,500 (£430-1290), according to the BBC’s report published today (10th May). Offenders can additionally expect to be reported to the respective embassies.

There will also be a total ban on the sale of alcohol between 9:30pm and 8am in party hotspots, which expands on previous legislation passed by the Balearic government almost four years ago. The new decree, set to be enforced until at least December 2027, was reportedly pushed at the request of local authorities.

Luis Pomar, a press officer at the Balearic Islands Tourism Council, told the BBC it is hoped the harsher rules will help curb “anti-social behaviour.”

He added that he hoped the legislation would no longer be needed “in three to four years, if we instil in people how to behave”.

The law additionally introduces stricter rules against party boats, which will be banned from getting closer than one nautical mile (1.852 km) to the sanctioned areas, as well as picking up or disembarking passengers within them.

Alongside the new decree, the Balearic government have reportedly pledged €16 million to improving tourist hotspots in the region.

Regulations to curb anti-social behaviour on the Balearic Islands have been in place since 2022 with bans now being considered for drunk British tourists who break the rules.

Earlier this year, tourists arriving in Ibiza without proof of accommodation were warned they could be fined up to €10,000, according to a new rule set by Spanish authorities.